Flute Player Peter Horan from Co. Sligo, Ireland 1986

Musician Peter Horan on his unique flute playing style and the musical tradition of Gurteen and Killavil in County Sligo. Peter Horan is a traditional flute and fiddle player from Killavil in County Sligo. Killavil is three miles from Gurteen. This part of south Sligo has a long standing musical tradition. All the top fiddlers were from Killavil, including Michael Coleman. Peter Horan comes from a family of fiddlers and plays the fiddle himself. He started learning the tin whistle at an early age and began playing the concert flute when he was nine years old. Peter Horan never learned how to read music and cannot identify what key he is playing in. He does not teach formal music lessons, but he has given instruction to classes of children using his own system. Peter Horan admires classical flute player James Galway and considers him a genius. When it is suggested he is as good as James Galway, Peter Horan disagrees as the traditional and classical fields cannot be compared.